In a conference call to confirm the Boston Bruins’ signing of free agent defenseman Derek Morris to a one-year deal today, general manager Peter Chiarelli assessed his new-look defense corps this way:

“I feel we’ve upgraded it to the tune of a little more mobile, when you talk about Andrew (Ference) and Matt Hunwick in the mix. And the physical responsibilities that we might have lost (with the departure of Aaron Ward and Shane Hnidy), Derek’s a tremendous competitor, he can handle those things. (Mark Stuart’s) going to handle those things. And, of course, we’ve got Zdeno (Chara) there. So I don’t feel that we’ve lost any of that when we made these changes.” (more…)

Here is Boston Bruins general manager Peter Chiarelli’s explanation for acquiring forward Patrick Eaves from Carolina for defenseman Aaron Ward and then buying out the former Boston College star. Eaves is entering the second year of a three-year deal that paid him $1.1 million last year and was scheduled to pay him $1.4 million this season and$1.7 next year.

“Because the contract is structured with escalating salaries, we actually get a positive credit to our cap next year in the amount of $41,000,” said Chiarelli, who noted that because Eaves is younger than 26, the buyout is for one-third the value of the deal.

So if Eaves isn’t claimed on waivers, he will be a slight cap hit (around $258,000) for Boston this year and then give the Bruins more room next season.

Boston Bruins general manager Peter Chiarelli continued to sound like a man intent on retaining the services of restricted free agent winger Phil Kessel today during a conference call to speak about the re-signing of defenseman MattHunwick.

“I like where we are (roster-wise) because for the most part, we have our team in place. Cap-wise, we’re getting up there. But certainly Phil’s a player that if there comes a point we have to make a move to get him in the mix, I will certainly do that,” he said.

Chiarelli also revealed that defensive prospect Yuri Alexandrov is intent on coming to North America and would probably do so next season after his KHL contract is up. Chiarelli also talked about the recent signing of journeyman goaltender Dany Sabourin.

“We’re not handing the baton to Tuukka (Rask), so there’ll be a battle there,” he said.

By the amount of emails and blog comments I received after the buyout of winger Peter Schaefer’s contract, I couldn’t avoid asking Boston Bruins general manager Peter Chiarelli about his rationale behind opting for a buyout rather than banishing Schaefer to the minors again and not having that player carry any type of a cap hit (the Bruins will have about $567,000 on their cap because of the buyout).

Here was Chiarelli’s answer during a conference call today:

“It’s just a slight cap hit. In the large scheme of things, one, it is a savings. Two, I think it gives Peter a chance to further his career somewhere else. I did deliberate over whether to keep him and have him try to make the team because he did actually finish quite strongly and there were some people asking about him. So it wouldn’t surprise me if he gets another job. Basically, that was it. It was more philanthropic in letting him go and test the market and get another job. We paid him a good number, so I guess it’s not too philanthropic. But that was basically the philosophy behind it.”

So for those of you fretting that this would hinder Chiarelli’s abilty to get other signings done, it’s pretty obvious he wouldn’t have done it if that was the case.

Boston Bruins general manager Peter Chiarelli said in a conference call minutes ago that he’s “kicked some tires” but hasn’t made any moves beyond the re-signing of restricted free agent Byron Bitz.

However, Chiarelli did predict he’d have some news later on this evening but that it wouldn’t be a “headline player.” Last season, Chiarelli’s negotiations went well into the evening on the first day of free agency and landed winger Michael Ryder. So don’t expect someone of that magnitude to come on board tonight.

Boston Bruins general manager Peter Chiarelli just confirmed via conference call that winger Peter Schaefer has cleared waivers. The Bruins have until 5 p.m. to decide whether they want to buy out the contract of the disappointing winger. Chiarelli said that a buyout would add around $566,000 to the Bruins cap number.

Chiarelli also clarified that restricted free agents Byron Bitz and Matt Hunwick are arbitration eligible and have until July 5 to file. The club’s deadline to file is July 6.

MONTREAL — He didn’t get to make a trade to move up in the first round last night or add a second-round pick this afternoon, but Boston Bruins general manager PeterChiarelli’s time at the 2009 NHL Entry Draft at Bell Centre still went the way he wanted it.

“I really like our blend to start off with (first-round pick Jordan) Caron and (third-round pick Ryan) Button because we got some size and scoring to start and then we get that mobile retrieving guy, puck-moving guy,” Chiarelli said after his team was done picking four new players, in addition to Caron, for his organization today. “So that allowed us to get a little bit more into the sandpaper players. … Size and grit are common denominators in those players.” (more…)

MONTREAL — Stanley Cup-winning defenseman and perennial All-Star ChrisPronger is now back in the Eastern Conference with the Philadelphia Flyers after he was dealt by Anaheim for two players and two first-round picks tonight early during the first round of the 2009 NHL Entry Draft at Bell Centre.

A player who was connected to numerous rumors involving the Boston Bruins back before March’s trade deadline, Pronger was not a Bruins target today even after general manager PeterChiarelli heard that Scott Niedermayer was going to return to the Ducks (a move that most figured would force the Ducks to make a move with Pronger).

“I think we would’ve been in as good or better cap position than Philly to look at him. But we didn’t look at him,” said Chiarelli at the conclusion of the first round of the draft. (more…)

With the first round of the 2009 NHL Entry Draft in Montreal just three days away, Boston Bruins general manager Peter Chiarelli, whose club currently holds the 25th pick overall, isn’t hiding the fact that his organization has a player it’s targeting should he be able to improve his draft position.

“I’ve had a couple of discussion on moving to a couple of slots. It heats up when we all get (to Montreal) and we’re kind of loitering around speaking with each other,” said Chiarelli during a conference call today. “Our guys have our eyes on this one player that is (ranked) higher than where we’re picking. So certainly one of my goals is to try and move up. I don’t know if I’ll succeed, but I will try.” (more…)

Boston Bruins general manager Peter Chiarelli has slowly molded his team into the one that he foresaw when he took the job with the Black and Gold back in the summer of 2006. Today he was granted the chance to keep on building for five more years.

Bruins Principal Charlie Jacobs officially unveiled Chiarelli’s four-year contract extension today during a TD Banknorth Garden press conference. The deal will start after Chiarelli completes the upcoming season, the last on his original four-year contract.

“Personally, I felt the need to have Peter extended, in that there were a number of dominoes that need to fall in terms of our hockey operations department,” Jacobs said about the timing of the deal, just a week before the draft and two weeks before free agency. “Given how proud we are of the team that Peter has assembled — on the ice, but also in the front office — and knowing what their status was contractually moving forward, we feel an impetus moving forward on getting an extension for two reasons. One, we didn’t want Peter entering the final year of his contract and that sort of lame-duck status, if you will. And two, knowing that important signings from both the coaching staff and front-office personnel needed to be re-upped as they were co-terminus with Peter’s contract, we wanted to send the right message as ownership to that front-office staff that we supported them and it was time.” (more…)

The Boston Bruins today announced a multi-year contract extension for general manager Peter Chiarelli. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Chiarelli was scheduled to enter the fourth of year of his four-year deal had he not agreed to this extension. In Chiarelli’s three seasons as GM, Boston has compiled a 129-89-28 record and last spring the franchise won a playoff series for the first time in a decade.

Chiarelli and Bruins Principal Charlie Jacobs are scheduled to hold a press conference to announce the extension tomorrow at noon. TheBruinsBlog.net will be your home for complete coverage.

Some people obviously think Boston Bruins general manager Peter Chiarelli is some sort of riverboat gambler. If his stint in the Hub has taught us anything, it’s that Chiarelli leaves little to chance and gets done what he wants to complete quietly and quickly.

Boston Bruins general manager Peter Chiarelli plays everything related to player personnel close to his vest. But one thing he was very up front about today during a conference call to announce center DavidKrejci’s new contract extension is that his phone isn’t burning up with other GMs trying to pry away Krejci or potential restricted free agent winger Phil Kessel.

“I’ve made it clear over time as to how I value those players,” said Chiarelli. “So the frequency of calls isn’t that high. (Other GMs) are aware of how highly I value them.”

In addition to Kessel, defenseman Matt Hunwick and forward ByronBitz are also scheduled for RFA status come July 1. Chiarelli also has a half dozen unrestricted free agents to consider, the draft coming up June 26 and then the opening of free agency July 1. So the fun is just beginning. (more…)

Fresh off their club winning the regular-season Eastern Conference title and winning a round of the Stanley Cup playoffs for the first time in a decade, Boston Bruins owner Jeremy Jacobs and Principal CharlieJacobs updated those on a media conference call about the negotiations to extend general manager Peter Chiarelli’s contract.

Chiarelli agreed to a four-year deal when he was hired in the spring of 2006, so he is entering the final year of his contract. Head coach ClaudeJulien might also be due an extension, as it is widely believed (although it has never been officially revealed) that the bench boss received a three-year deal when he was hired in the spring of 2007.

“We’re in the midst of negotiations with Peter. As I said before, when we hired Peter, I do find that the head coaching position should fall under the purview of the GM. And in as much, that’s in Peter’s bailiwick to negotiate with Claude and his staff,” Charlie Jacobs said. (more…)

The magazine lauded Chiarelli as “the architect of a Boston Bruins team that raised its point total from 94 in 2007-08 to an Eastern Conference-best 116 this season.” Chiarelli’s signing of winger Michael Ryder particularly impressed Sporting News.

There is no NHL Executive of the Year award, but if there was Chiarelli would obviously had been a candidate.